ITS NOT REALLY MINE

When Christmas comes, parents do more than buy presents for their children. They also give money to their children so the children can buy presents for their parents. Her parent(s) want her to learn to give. So they give their young daughter money to buy presents. She may be only four or five when she is brought to a store and encouraged to pick out presents for the family. Mother or father watch with pleasure as their daughter learns to choose gifts for others.
On Christmas Day, their little girl happily watches the family open presents she bought "with my own money". She has experienced the joy of giving and has begun to learn (we hope for life) that it is more blessed (and more fun) to give than to receive.
Of course the reality is she had nothing to give. She was only able to give because her mother or father had given to her. The money she spent for the gifts really belonged to her parent(s).

In preparation for the temple to be built in Jerusalem, King David gave a great deal of his fortune to the temple building fund. Then he called on others to follow his example in "consecrated" giving. And all the leaders in Israel gave generously. The people were filled with joy as they witnessed the generous giving of their King and tribal leaders. Then David led the people in praise and he prayed.
"But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. --- it comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you." I Chronicles 29:14 - 17
David knew it and so should we. Just like the child who gives presents purchased with money from her parents, we are able to give only because our Heavenly Father has given to us. It is not my tithe that belongs to God. It is myself and everything I have. No matter how generously I give to the work of God, I am giving back only what ultimately comes to from God. He is the owner, I am his manager, his dependent child.

This perspective should make me hold money loosely and give generously - 10% and often more, much more. "Everything I have Lord comes from you. When I give to the church, to a Christian NGO, to a needy person or family, I am giving only what came to me from you." We Christ followers should naturally be among the world's most generous people. And thankfully, sometimes we are.